Lithuanian startup Broswarm is developing drone-mounted radar technology designed to detect buried landmines and unexploded ordnance, aiming to accelerate post-conflict land reconstruction and humanitarian demining efforts in Ukraine.

Key Points

• Broswarm’s X-SAR system uses airborne synthetic-aperture radar to identify both metallic and plastic-cased explosives beneath the soil surface.
• The company has raised €1 million in funding and secured an R&D cooperation agreement with the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence.
• Approximately 139,000 square kilometers of Ukraine are suspected of explosive contamination, creating a massive barrier to agricultural and infrastructure recovery.
• Broswarm faces the challenge of proving its technology through independent validation, as detection does not currently equate to certified land clearance.
• The firm is exploring partnerships with major defense contractors to navigate complex procurement cycles and scale its operations for international humanitarian markets.

Why it Matters

Demining is a critical prerequisite for the $524 billion reconstruction effort required in Ukraine, as land must be certified safe before it can be farmed or developed. Broswarm’s success could demonstrate whether defense-tech startups can pivot from wartime military applications to sustainable, long-term humanitarian recovery markets.